Mukesh Singh, the incumbent Director General of Police (DGP) of Ladakh, is set to take charge as the new police chief of Manipur after the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved his inter-cadre deputation transfer on 22 May 2026. The move follows the appointment of outgoing Manipur DGP Rajiv Singh as Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat, according to an official order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

The Incoming DGP: Mukesh Singh's Profile

Mukesh Singh is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the AGMUT cadre (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territories) and a 1996-batch officer. He holds a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and assumed charge as DGP of Ladakh on 15 January 2026.

Prior to Ladakh, Singh served in several sensitive postings across Jammu and Kashmir, including as Superintendent of Police in Reasi, Pulwama, Poonch, and Jammu during periods of heightened militancy and insurgency-related operations. The ACC has approved his transfer to Manipur on inter-cadre deputation for a period of three years, following a proposal received from the Ministry of Home Affairs on 15 May 2026.

Rajiv Singh's Tenure and Departure

Rajiv Singh, a 1993-batch IPS officer of the Tripura cadre, has served as Manipur's DGP since 1 June 2023 — one of the most turbulent periods in the state's recent history. He took charge just weeks after the outbreak of ethnic violence on 3 May 2023, which was triggered by a 'Tribal Solidarity March' in the hill districts, organised by tribal organisations protesting the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

Before his Manipur posting, Singh served as Additional Director General of Police in Tripura and later as Inspector General (Operations) at the CRPF headquarters in New Delhi. He now moves to the Cabinet Secretariat as Secretary (Security).

The Context: Manipur's Prolonged Ethnic Crisis

The ethnic conflict that erupted in May 2023 has claimed at least 260 lives, displaced thousands of residents, and severely disrupted normal life across both hill and valley districts. The prolonged unrest prompted the imposition of President's Rule in the state from 13 February 2025.

President's Rule was revoked on 4 February 2026, hours before a new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government was sworn in. Yumnam Khemchand Singh, the BJP-led NDA legislature party leader, was subsequently sworn in as Chief Minister. The state continues to work toward restoring normalcy and strengthening law and order.

Significance of the Appointment

Officials noted that the induction of a new DGP carries particular weight given the ongoing efforts by the state government and security agencies to stabilise a region that has endured nearly three years of ethnic strife. Notably, Mukesh Singh's background in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir is seen as directly relevant to Manipur's complex security landscape.

This is the first change in Manipur's police leadership since the state emerged from President's Rule, and will be closely watched as a signal of the new government's security priorities.